Department of the City Manager’s Office
Reference: Extension of Time Frame for Use of the Lodging Tax Funds Awarded for the 2020 Calendar Year
To: Mayor Gregory Mills and Members of City Council
Through: Jane Bais DiSessa, City Manager
Prepared By: Nicole Samson, Senior Management Analyst
Date Prepared: November 17, 2020
PURPOSE
Request that the City Council consider approving the Brighton Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s recommendation to extend the timeframe for 12 months for use of the 2020 grant allocations from the Lodging Tax Funds awarded in 2020. The new deadline for use of these previously awarded amounts will be December 31, 2021.
Last fall, the Council approved funding $460,000 worth of grants in 2020 with Lodging Tax Funds through Resolution 2019-119. These grants were awarded to the following grantees: Brighton Economic Development Corporation, the Brighton Cultural Arts Commission, the Office of Youth Services and the Brighton Youth Commission. Due to COVID-19 and the resulting public health orders, many of the events during this year were canceled, postponed or held virtually. As a result, the EDC has used 44% of the granted funding, BCAC has used 26% of the granted funding and the Office of Youth Services and the Brighton Youth Commission was not able to use any of the granted funding. Extending the timeframe on the use of the Lodging Tax Funds awarded in 2020 another 12 months will allow the grantees more time to expend the unused funding award to them on the previously approved activities.
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA
Financially Responsible
Strong Regional Relationships and Partnerships
BACKGROUND
On November 8, 2011, the voters of the City approved the imposition of a Lodging Tax to be effective January 1, 2012, in the amount of three percent on short term lodging of less than 30 consecutive days. The revenue from this tax can be used for the purpose approved by the voters for “economic development, special events, cultural arts facilities, advertising and marketing, and promoting tourism and other activities which utilize public accommodations within the City,” as stated in Resolution 2011-89 and in Ordinance 2121.
The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee was established by City Ordinance 2121 to advise the Council on policies to carry out the guidance in the ordinance regarding use of revenues from the Lodging Tax. “In particular, the Committee advises the Council on allocation, budgeting and appropriation of funds from the Lodging Tax Fund” consistent with the stated purpose of the tax.
Extension of the timeframe on the use of the grants from the Lodging Tax Fund will only allow the grantees more time to expend the funding awarded through Resolution 2019-119. The original funding amounts approved by Council through that resolution remain the same. If the proposed Resolution before Council is approved, the timeframe for use of the funds previously awarded will be extended to December 31, 2021 and all funds not expended by this new deadline will return to the Lodging Tax Funds Account.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The City’s draft 2021 budget includes $200,000 for Lodging Tax grants to be awarded in 2021. Extending the deadline will mean that the 2021 budget for the Lodging Tax grants will change to $319,230. Currently, the Lodging Tax Funds Account has $347,470 in funds and staff expects that the fund will receive $200,000 in tax income over the next year.
The Brighton Economic Development Corporation was awarded $200,000 for the 2020 calendar year and has $111,930 remaining to spend. The Brighton Cultural Arts Commission was awarded $200,000 for the 2020 calendar year and has $147,300 remaining to spend. The Office of Youth Services and the Brighton Youth Commission were awarded $60,000 for the Image Summit and SPEAK Week and have $60,000 remaining of that amount.
OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
• Approve the resolution.
• Do not approve the resolution. This means all Lodging Tax Funds awarded for 2020 that have not been expended by December 31 of this year will return to or remain in the Lodging Tax Funds Account. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee will return to Council in the next few months with a recommendation on how to disperse the budgeted 2021 Lodging Tax Funds.
ATTACHMENTS
• Resolution Extending the Timeframe for Use of the 2020 Lodging Tax Grants
• Executed Resolution 2019-119 showing the grant awards for calendar year 2020